Queensland Labor Party will endorse Steven Miles to remain leader
The defeated Labor Party caucus will meet in Brisbane tomorrow to formalise Steven Miles’s endorsement as opposition leader, nine days after spearheading them to a thumping defeat.
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The defeated Labor Party caucus will meet in Brisbane on Tuesday to formalise Steven Miles’s endorsement as opposition leader.
The former premier is expected to be unanimously endorsed to continue as party leader on Tuesday despite leading Labor to its worst two-party result – with the exception of 2012 – since 1986.
Suggestions led by United Workers’ Union powerbroker Gary Bullock to dump Cameron Dick as deputy Labor leader in favour of Mr Miles’s Left-aligned colleague Shannon Fentiman won’t materialise.
Mr Dick will be elected as deputy opposition leader unopposed.
“I’ll be supporting Cameron Dick to remain in the deputy’s position,” Mr Miles said.
“He’s been a good and strong deputy leader to me.”
Mr Bullock’s UWU still remains the dominant force in Labor with 13 aligned MPs.
Mr Miles, asked how he would show Queenslanders he was a new alternative in 2028 to Premier David Crisafulli, said the Labor frontbench would be refreshed.
“There’ll be significant changes in the cabinet line-up and in the portfolios that people hold,” he said.
“We had a very significant refresh less than 12 months ago.
“I had a chance during the campaign to show Queenslanders who I am and what I stand for and I’ll continue to do that for these next four years.”
Labor’s caucus will meet despite the election race in three seats still remaining too close to call.
The most significant for Labor is the battle of former transport minister Bart Mellish to survive in Aspley.
If he survives to be re-elected for a third term, Mr Mellish would likely be included in Mr Miles’s shadow cabinet.
He trails the LNP’s candidate, former councillor Amanda Cooper, by less than 1000 votes on preferences.
Labor also remains on target to win South Brisbane from the Greens’ first-term MP Amy MacMahon.
Barbara O’Shea is ahead of the LNP in second position, with conservative preferences enough to defeat Ms McMahon’s 34.7 per cent primary vote.
It was a 3.2 per cent fall on her 2020 vote to unseat Jackie Trad.
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